NFL Preseason Predictions: North Divisions

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In the AFC, we have a bunch of brand new coaches (and one surprising remaining one).

In the NFC, we have a bloodbath on our hands.

But who gets through alive?

AFC North

4. Cleveland Browns (No Playoffs)

There is a lot of debate in both North divisions about where teams will end up.

Except for last in the AFC North…

No quarterback. No good weapons. Lost Myles Garrett (but gained Jared Verse, which is good), and stocked up on draft picks.

The Browns know what they are.

3. Cincinnati Bengals (No Playoffs)

The Bengals spent a ton of money in free agency on defense, as well as trading the 10th pick for Dexter Lawrence.

Plus, the offense is expected to be dominant.

But I will believe the defense is good when I see it, and we’re now at equal number of seasons of Joe Burrow missing significant time compared to him lasting a full season.

I could end up dead wrong about this if the defense hits and Burrow stays healthy, but I’m not going to believe it until I see it.

2. Pittsburgh Steelers (No Playoffs)

After years of the Steelers not being Super Bowl contenders and having elite quarterback play, Mike Tomlin resigned.

It was a sign for a new era of Steelers football.

And the Steelers responded with…Mike McCarthy and running it back with Aaron Rodgers again…

The Steelers like their era of 9-8 football and want to stay in it?

Fine by me.

1. Baltimore Ravens (#1 Seed)

To talk about the Ravens, we need to talk about the Seattle Seahawks.

Two years ago, Mike Macdonald took over as the Seahawks head coach and inherited a decent 9-8 team with decent weapons, and some good defensive talent, and he went 10-7 in his first year.

In his first full year with improved defensive talent (Ernest Jones IV & Nick Emmanwori), the Seahawks won the Super Bowl.

It was a fast turnaround.

Jesse Minter takes over after a stint of coaching excellent defenses in Los Angeles, and inherits a team with Lamar Jackson, Derrick Henry, Trey Hendrickson, Roquan Smith, Kyle Hamilton.

The Ravens are in better shape than the 2024 10 win Seahawks were.

Now, head coaching is different than coordinating, and Minter is a question mark on that front.

But if he’s good at it, and considering he was a Harbaugh protégé, he probably is, the Ravens could be elite very, very quickly.

NFC North

4. Minnesota Vikings (No Playoffs)

I actually very briefly flirted with the Vikings winning the whole damn division.

After all, they were one good Bears kickoff return against them away from winning 10 games and the division title last year, and that’s with horrendous QB play.

Now, they add Kyler Murray, and the defense is still great.

Why couldn’t they win the division?

And then I remembered that Kyler Murray was run out of Arizona for a reason and seems to get worse as the year goes on every single year.

That brought me back to planet earth.

3. Chicago Bears (No Playoffs)

Much like the Pats, I think the Bears will be better this year than they were last year.

However, the Bears got the 2 seed thanks to a whopping 6 wins coming in the final two minutes of the game.

That’s going to naturally come back down to Earth, and while I think the offense should be even better in year two under Ben Johnson, I still really don’t like their defense at all, especially with marquee free agent signing Coby Bryant being out for an extended period of time.

So with a weak defense, the Bears might end up in those 2 minute drills again.

Maybe Caleb Williams can continue to thrive in those moments.

But I wouldn’t bet on that trend continuing.

2. Green Bay Packers (#7 Seed)

Matt LaFleur is a good coach.

Jordan Love is a good quarterback.

But the two of them seem to be married to the 7 seed in the NFC Playoffs, ending up in that spot for all three years they’ve been together.

Now, with off the field issues for Josh Jacobs, and Micah Parsons likely not coming back until midseason, it makes sense for them to end up right back there again.

1. Detroit Lions (#3 Seed)

A year after losing Ben Johnson, the Lions went out of the building to replace him in John Morton as their new OC.

It didn’t work out, and now the Lions have gone to Drew Petzing.

I’m putting my faith into him, because if he thrives, this offense is still uber talented.

Jared Goff, Jahmyr Gibbs, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams, Sam LaPorta, yada yada yada I could go on and on.

And because the Lions finished last in the division last year, thanks to 4 one score game losses even though they were the 3rd best team in DVOA behind only the Seahawks and Rams, they now have an easier schedule due to it.

I’m buying stock in Detroit this year.